1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of telephonic communications; more specifically to a telephone line or system combined with a diverse electrical system, i.e. a composite, including both: (a) a composite substation or terminal and (b) supervisory or control line signalling, substation originated, conversion of signal form, with dynamic memory; furthermore specifically for such a composite system including a telephone combined with a computer possessing multilingual linguistics translation software which recognizes speech in one language and translates the same into another language; particularly such a combined telephone and computer system providing speech translation with means for a user to correct the recognition of their speech using a visual display means and hence the field of the present invention further is inclusive of a telephone line or system combined with a diverse electrical system having transmission of a digital message signal over a telephone line further having a station display, most particularly such a system wherein the station display possesses a pressure or position sensitive surface.
2. General Background
The desirability and value of the capability of speaking via a telephone system to someone in one language and having that speech translated into a second language is considered fairly obvious. It is further recognized that conversion of spoken language, i.e. speech, from analog to digital form and conversion of the translation from digital to analog form is indicated. The first conversion is accomplished with voice recognition, the latter conversion is performed with a speech synthesizer. Digital translation requires translation software for the two languages concerned. There has been, as evidenced in the discussion of the prior art below, a considerable amount of concern connected, though often peripherally, with this basic objective.
As translation software is just now emerging in practicality only relatively little of what is considered pertinent prior art which includes this capability is known. It is considered that the basic objective stated above cannot be achieved with the simple combination of the basic components given above because of the tentative state of translation software and that some other means besides these basic components is required in order to provide a practical system which will enable the user of the system to ameliorate defects in the accuracy of the translation by the software.
For this reason, the prior art considered pertinent to the present invention is comprehensive of telephone systems combined with diverse art elements which would either provide language translation or those combined with another element which is considered pertinent to a means of correcting a conversion of signal to be transmitted by a telephone prior transmission. Such means is further considered to be characterized by possession of a graphic display, particularly one which is pressure sensitive by position.
3. Discussion of the Prior Art
The following patents, each discussed briefly further below, are cited as possessing relevance to the present invention:
Japan 357132271 Aug 1982 Electronic Translating Device Germany 3403123 Aug 1984 Electronic Language Translation Unit - has search facility coupled with marker function to identify words for further reference Japan 360156170 Aug 1985 Electronic Translating Machine Japan 361098058 May 1986 Automatic Translation International Exchange System Japan 363100855 May 1988 Telephone Exchange With Simultaneous Translation Function Japan 363288552 Nov 1988 Automatic Translation Telephone System U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,357 July 1987 Automobile Telephone Apparatus U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,854 Nov 1987 Telephone With Digital Cancellation U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,681 Nov 1989 Remote Language Translating Device U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,701 Jan 1995 Language Translation System U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,137 June 1996 Multi-Media Messaging System U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,301 Mar 1997 Automated Language Translation System U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,497 Dec 1997 Telecommunication Apparatus Having A Capability of Translation U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,033 Jan 1998 Electronic Equipment Displaying Translated Characters Matching Partial Character Input With Subsequent Erasure of Non-Matching Translations.
Japan 357132271 issued in August 1982 for an `Electronic Translating Device` discloses switching means for preventing a translated voice output from entering an electronic translating circuit which translates an original voice input through a microphone. A telephone is not mentioned; the device is assumed to be self contained and the innovation simply prevents the generated translated voice from being picked up by the microphone.
Germany 3403123 issued in August 1984 for an `Electronic Language Translation Unit` which "has search facility coupled with marker function to identify words for further reference" discloses a two line display, keyboard input, and radio receiving and translation from English to Japanese and vice versa, capabilities wherein certain words may be `marked` for further reference in order to be used as "an electronic word dictionary or language translation dictionary".
Japan 360156170 issued in August 1985 for an `Electronic Translating Machine` discloses an improvement on the `Electronic Translating Device` discussed above in which an LCD is added to display the translation and which an operator may extinguish to signify that the voice input was processed and that the translated voice output was not processed.
Japan 361098058 issued in May 1986 for an `Automatic Translation International Exchange System` discloses a system whereby speech input from a "subscriber is converted into intermediate language codes by a speech recognizing device" and a translation device supplying a "packet exchange device" by which codes are sent to a second translating device and another "speech recognizing device", or speech generator, to provide translated voice output to another subscriber.
Japan 363100855 issued in May 1988 for a `Telephone Exchange With Simultaneous Translation Function` discloses "channel switching section" which, in response to a "keyword" switches the voice channel over to one with a "translation machine" and which also provides for switching the back to "the original general channel" with termination of the conversation and the translation machine.
Japan 363288552 issued in November 1988 for an `Automatic Translation Telephone System` discloses a system whereby "a voice is inputted through a hybrid circuit" "to an interactive voice spectrum analyzing part 7 for a designated caller", then "sent to a grammar correcting part 8 as voice pattern information", thence to "an insufficient vocabulary adding part 9", and finally to "a voice synthesizing part 11". The subsequent output from this "standardizing device" "is sent through "an automatic standard voice automatic translating device 15 in an exchange 13" to another standardizing device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,357 issued in July 1987 for an `Automobile Telephone Apparatus` discloses CPU with memory for repertory dialing, a display screen, keyboard, and annunciator. A code is entered and if a corresponding telephone number is found in memory, this is displayed and a tone is emitted to indicate confirmation. Alternatively another tone is emitted to indicate failure and in either case the driver need not divert their sight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,854 issued in November 1987 for a `Telephone With Digital Cancellation` discloses an adjunct to a telephone having a microprocessor, memory, keyboard, and display whereby a single digit of a dialled number may be corrected upon the display prior call initiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,681 issued in November 1989 for a `Remote Language Translating Device` discloses a system whereby voice inputted into a radio transceiver is relayed to a remote translation computer and the translation transmitted back by radio to the transceiver which annunciates a voiced translation. The necessity of analog to digital conversion is recognized as is the reverse with a speech synthesizer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,701 issued in January 1995 for a `Language Translation System` discloses a shorthand means of generating full phrases in a second language held in memory as output from keywords in a first language used as input whereby rapid and grammatically accurate translation from speech may be generated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,137 issued in June 1996 for a `Multi-Media Messaging System` discloses input by diverse media, including voice, and diverse conversion capabilities, including language translation which output may be stored in memory and retrieved by telephone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,301 issued in March 1997 for an `Automated Language Translation System` discloses use of speech recognition circuitry for audio input connected to "universal translation circuitry" which translates into Esperanto and then translates that output into the user's language which signal is fed into a voice synthesizer for audio output. The audio input is primarily intended to be a television but might be a telephone.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,497 issued in December 1997 for a `Telecommunication Apparatus Having A Capability of Translation` discloses translation of "a received document", i.e. a facsimile, from a "source language" identified with a protocol message into "a target language" in which the document is printed out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,033 issued in January 1998 for an `Electronic Equipment Displaying Translated Characters Matching Partial Character Input With Subsequent Erasure of Non-Matching Translations` discloses key input into memory of KANA characters, translation of this input into KANJI characters which are displayed and means of "sequentially erasing" the latter.
These references comprise the sum of the pertinent known prior art.
In summary of the prior art, it is considered that various systems for automatic translation are known. Some stand alone and are not intended for use in telecommunications, others so intended rely upon an exchange provided computer for voice synthesis, translation, and voice generation. Display of the telephone number requested by voice and of KANJI characters translated from key inputted KANA characters is known. Correction of a single digit of a telephone number and erasure of KANJI characters upon a screen is known. Association of keywords to full grammatic phrases in a translated language is known. The concept of translating voice in one language into a `universal language` and then into a second voiced language is disclosed in the prior art.
4. Statement of Need
While the prior art ostensibly includes all the elements for a system whereby a subscriber telephone terminal has access to voice translation capability, i.e., audio to digital signal conversion, digital linguistic conversion from one to another language and reverse capability in translation from the second to the first with voice synthesis and generation of each, via a telephone exchange connected to computer, this particular combination of elements is unknown in the prior art. A single telephone and computer device capable of translation from one language to another, which is fully independent of a public telephone exchange, is considered wholly unknown in the prior art. It is considered that the absence of the latter is related to and indicative of the reason that the former combination of prior art elements is also unknown. It is considered, more specifically, that there is a need for a means at the disposal of the user of such a system for correcting inaccuracies inherent to translation techniques at the current state of that art and that such an effective corrective would be essential to a practical system.